Mercedes war should fuel Ferrari development - Alonso

Fernando Alonso has called on Ferrari to step up its development push to put itself in a position to capitalise on the simmering war at Mercedes.

The title fight took a new twist in Monaco, with the relationship between Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton reaching a critical point for the first time. Alonso fell out with Hamilton during the pair's time together at McLaren in 2007, a feud which ultimately left the door open for Kimi Raikkonen to snatch the title from under their noses.

Alonso was a distant fourth in Monaco but he thinks Ferrari could put themselves in a position to capitilise if it takes a big step forward soon.

"I think we are a little bit too far away in the championship battle with them," Alonso said. "We would like to be a little bit closer to challenging them for victories or a little bit closer in the points. I think for us they are so much in front we only can see this battle and this relationship from far, from the outside, it's not really making any difference to us in this moment.

"But if we get into a position to fight for victories or to fight for the championship that will be interesting, if we are in that position and they are struggling with the relationship."

Alonso thinks it is perfectly natural to see the Mercedes duo at odds this season.

"I think it is normal with sport and with Formula One, there's a lot of pressure and a lot of media attention, you should beat your team-mate to get good respect. If you put a championship battle in that garage then things become tense and more public, even sometimes exaggerated.

"I'm sure they have up and downs throughout the year but things get exaggerated. I hope they have a clean championship both and whoever wins is hopefully the best of the two and the one who deserves it more."